Is anybody else tired of watching wheel sucking Spanish/Itlalian riders?

[nslckevin]

I agree that Cancellara showed himself too early. But I also think that the Spanish misplayed the last 5-7km. Once Evans went on his own, Valverde and Sanchez should have done something (if they could at that point). Three guys in the final selection of 10 and only getting third is NOT a good showing. With Rodriguez having spent 100km in the break they had to have known that he wasn't playing coy up front, he just wasn't going to bring Evans back.

If Valverde was hurting as was reported, he should have killed himself to bring Sanchez close.

BTW, Evans did play it really well and was obviously very strong, so good for him.

 

[St. Elia]

This is a BS thread. It's called team work and tactics. The Italians did their thing and sent guys up the road trying to get the Spanish to chase. The Spanish held back, fair enough. Spartacus had few options and tried to do a late long pull/breakaway, his strength! If you look at some of the news reports the Italians said that Canc was the strongest and were complimentary of Cadels win. Even Cadel admits lady luck smiled on him a bit (about time the poor bast**). Calling other nations wheel suckers is LAME especially when they are two of the strongest cycling nations in the world. Some times I wonder if people on this forum have ever ridden a bike!

 

[auscyclefan94]

They were interviewing Cipollini on Italian TV during the race, and that was his analysis too: Cancellara went too early and showed his cards.

Also, in terms of the Italian team working - did you not see those two guys driving the break for however many laps? They probably worked too hard in some ways. And... while they may have had the numbers, the Italians were racing without a super guy like Cancellara or Evans on a race course that was favorable to whoever was really strong, and not quite as suited to lots of tactics as other courses have been.

I thought it was a wonderful race.

Spartucus made his effort too early. He made a big effort to force a selection on the first climb and then tried to get away on the descent. Wasted energy. Once evans got away te race was neutralised for the cancellara group so no body was going to chase. I thouht it was a good move by evans that when their was a little split in the group (when gerrans was in the front part of the split) that he swung off for cancellara to close the gap.

Great race tho and that's not to do with the victor.

 

[Anonymous]

fabian not the strongest

i agree 100% that the spaniards played silly ******s, on the final climb i remember sanchez and valverde looking at each other as if to say "i'm number one, you chase for me".. they were confused as to who was the top dog

I'm confused as to why everybody who watched the race unconditionally agrees that fabian was the strongest. they are really discounting what cadel did.

When rodriguez attacked, cadel immediately reacted and closed the gap with what i would call "strength". when looking at replays, when cadel chased rodriguez, only koblenov could hold his wheel. cancellara tried to follow kobo's wheel and, IMO, didn't have the "strength" to close the gap and faded. hence, he was not the strongest.

dave millar said before the race, if you want to win, you have to make ONE attack and give it 100%. i would say fabo's attacks where 3-4 at 80%, which IMO makes him not the smartest and not the strongest rider out there. cadel on the other hand was the smartest and the strongest.

ONE attack, 100%, out of the saddle for 3-4km, so stuffed that he didn't raise two hands after winning in case he fell off his bike.. his win, was the strongest attack all day!

EDIT: unsure why what i called the spaniards is asterixed out, i called them burgers (except replace the r with a g). maybe aussie slang is swearing??

 

[St. Elia]

EDIT: unsure why what i called the spaniards is asterixed out, i called them burgers (except replace the r with a g). maybe aussie slang is swearing??

The word you used is a swear word to our sensitive poms. The still hold that it means to have a**l s*x. Certainly in NA it's not a swear word at all.

You have to admit Cadel was a little lucky as well but I think for sure one of the strongest but not the only one that could have won.

 

[Anonymous]

The word you used is a swear word to our sensitive poms. The still hold that it means to have a**l s*x. Certainly in NA it's not a swear word at all.

You have to admit Cadel was a little lucky as well but I think for sure one of the strongest but not the only one that could have won.

Wow, i didn't know that about the word, thanks for the heads up.

Cadel was definately lucky, but i wouldn't say any luckier than anyone else. Other than the spanish, the final selection of 10ish riders contained individual's from each country, so like cance, cunego, gilbert, breschel, koblenov, he was also alone in the final group. so i dont think he had more luck than those guys. the spanish were lucky to have 3 cards to play.

perhaps cance had the pressure of being swiss, but that is as much an advantage as it is a disadvantage. i just don't think he was the strongest as everyone says...

 

[Animal]

The poms don't really give a flying fuck what bugger means!

It's the mealy-mouthed yanks who insist on no "naughty words".

 

[Bluebeard]

The word you used is a swear word to our sensitive poms. The still hold that it means to have a**l s*x. Certainly in NA it's not a swear word at all.

Apparently **** Cheney had a pet blue tit that would **** itself on trees in S****horpe.

EDIT: Surprise the bird didn't get censored too!

 

[St. Elia]

The poms don't really give a flying fuck what bugger means!

It's the mealy-mouthed yanks who insist on no "naughty words".

This is true about Americans (not Yankies, this only pertains to the northers states), but this was not the question. The question was why did Bug er get bleeped. I once said in front of a class and in front of a British colleague "oh that little bug *er" He freaked out! He is a good friend of mine and I looked at him like "what did I say"? Apparently they take the word quite literally, where we don't and in fact we call our kids little bug*ers all the time. But I agree that right wing conservative groups in the US do sound off on the slightest thing... anyone remember Janet Jackson bo*b? Wacked! Ok to show guys trying to rip each others head off in the name of sport but god forbid we see a little t*t!

 

[St. Elia]

Wow, i didn't know that about the word, thanks for the heads up.

Cadel was definately lucky, but i wouldn't say any luckier than anyone else. Other than the spanish, the final selection of 10ish riders contained individual's from each country, so like cance, cunego, gilbert, breschel, koblenov, he was also alone in the final group. so i dont think he had more luck than those guys. the spanish were lucky to have 3 cards to play.

perhaps cance had the pressure of being swiss, but that is as much an advantage as it is a disadvantage. i just don't think he was the strongest as everyone says...

I agree generally with what you are saying, but the fact that he won proves he had more luck then the rest I should also say he deserved to win and I really am happy for him. It rubs me the wrong way when people are always saying they don't like him because he doesn't present himself well in front of a camera. I don't really care and lets face it, I'm sure that a lot of these guys you might not want to hang out with. I like him because of what he can do on a bike.

I have no doubt Spartacus could have won, even with out a team to support him. Things could have worked out for him with the Italians and Spanish teams playing off of each other. Oh well, good race anyways.

 

[TRDean]

This is true about Americans (not Yankies, this only pertains to the northers states), but this was not the question. The question was why did Bug er get bleeped. I once said in front of a class and in front of a British colleague "oh that little bug *er" He freaked out! He is a good friend of mine and I looked at him like "what did I say"? Apparently they take the word quite literally, where we don't and in fact we call our kids little bug*ers all the time. But I agree that right wing conservative groups in the US do sound off on the slightest thing... anyone remember Janet Jackson bo*b? Wacked! Ok to show guys trying to rip each others head off in the name of sport but god forbid we see a little t*t!

You are a dumb azz!! It is not the tit or the fighting...it is the forum. I don't watch football to see a has been singer expose her saggy nipple for publicity. Just like I don't watch cycling to see cage fighting.

 

[Bluebeard]

You are a dumb azz!! It is not the tit or the fighting...it is the forum. I don't watch football to see a has been singer expose her saggy nipple for publicity. Just like I don't watch cycling to see cage fighting.

I would have considered it a bonus.

Like imagine watching a transition stage from La Rochelle to Poitier or some such, and between attacks starting off and being swept back into the bunch, you got to see a cage fight between David Harmon and JC, fully assured that at the moment of anything of remote interest (funny looking dog at the side of the road, for example) you get to go straight back to the action. It would be like the current eurosport scheduling, only dramatically enhanced.

Dunno if I fancy seeing David Harmon's saggy nipple though.

 

[TRDean]

I would have considered it a bonus.

Like imagine watching a transition stage from La Rochelle to Poitier or some such, and between attacks starting off and being swept back into the bunch, you got to see a cage fight between David Harmon and JC, fully assured that at the moment of anything of remote interest (funny looking dog at the side of the road, for example) you get to go straight back to the action. It would be like the current eurosport scheduling, only dramatically enhanced.

Dunno if I fancy seeing David Harmon's saggy nipple though.

That gave me a good laugh!! Thanks for that.

 

[St. Elia]

You are a dumb azz!! It is not the tit or the fighting...it is the forum. I don't watch football to see a has been singer expose her saggy nipple for publicity. Just like I don't watch cycling to see cage fighting.

Nice!!! such anger, what is the problem. I guess you are the sort of person that needs to eat all of your veggies first and then the meat? Your the dumb azz!! I'm just commenting on the fact that people have a problem with one thing like nudity and can over look a thing like the hard hitting that occurs in American football. How is that being a dumb azz? You know as well as I do the media went on about that for months. Do the media do that for violent acts? Anyway no need to get insultive we are just talking, I just used a pop culture reference. Really do you need to call me a azz?

L

 

[St. Elia]

I would have considered it a bonus.

Like imagine watching a transition stage from La Rochelle to Poitier or some such, and between attacks starting off and being swept back into the bunch, you got to see a cage fight between David Harmon and JC, fully assured that at the moment of anything of remote interest (funny looking dog at the side of the road, for example) you get to go straight back to the action. It would be like the current eurosport scheduling, only dramatically enhanced.

Dunno if I fancy seeing David Harmon's saggy nipple though.

Now that is the spirit!!!! Your a funny bastrrrrard!!! I would definitly ride with you!@

 

[TRDean]

Nice!!! such anger, what is the problem. I guess you are the sort of person that needs to eat all of your veggies first and then the meat? Your the dumb azz!! I'm just commenting on the fact that people have a problem with one thing like nudity and can over look a thing like the hard hitting that occurs in American football. How is that being a dumb azz? You know as well as I do the media went on about that for months. Do the media do that for violent acts? Anyway no need to get insultive we are just talking, I just used a pop culture reference. Really do you need to call me a azz?

L

I call you an azz for your off hand remark about right wing conservative groups.

 

[St. Elia]

Right .... carry on

 

[Boeing]

great thread title bro. wheel sucks the lot of them

word

 

[runninboy]

This is a BS thread. It's called team work and tactics. The Italians did their thing and sent guys up the road trying to get the Spanish to chase. The Spanish held back, fair enough. Spartacus had few options and tried to do a late long pull/breakaway, his strength! If you look at some of the news reports the Italians said that Canc was the strongest and were complimentary of Cadels win. Even Cadel admits lady luck smiled on him a bit (about time the poor bast**). Calling other nations wheel suckers is LAME especially when they are two of the strongest cycling nations in the world. Some times I wonder if people on this forum have ever ridden a bike!

I think when you have 3 in the break of 10 and your best placing is 3rd thats LAME. Cadel deserved the win but Sanchez going with Fabian and then not pulling through was beyond LAME. Sanchez is a far better sprinter and his country still has good numbers(2 of 8) in the chase where they will get to sit on. Sanchez doesnt have to bury himself to win, just pull through occasionally. When you can sprint and you are away with a strong TT man in his home country where he will bury himself to get on the podium you are not a world class tactician to try & sit on.
As we saw the strongest/smartest rider was actually Cadel and so to get out of striking range of him would have been a smart move...

 

[Anonymous]

I think when you have 3 in the break of 10 and your best placing is 3rd thats LAME. Cadel deserved the win but Sanchez going with Fabian and then not pulling through was beyond LAME. Sanchez is a far better sprinter and his country still has good numbers(2 of 8) in the chase where they will get to sit on. Sanchez doesnt have to bury himself to win, just pull through occasionally. When you can sprint and you are away with a strong TT man in his home country where he will bury himself to get on the podium you are not a world class tactician to try & sit on.
As we saw the strongest/smartest rider was actually Cadel and so to get out of striking range of him would have been a smart move...

Spot on!! Finally someone agrees that cadel is smartest and strongest!!

 

[Angliru]

I would say that having 3 riders in the final ten of a race isn't that pertinent when you have 1 in the decisive break of 3. A lot of things come into play near the end of a race with one of them being who has the best legs at that point. While Sanchez and Valverde were in the final 10, Valverde had made it plain to Sanchez and the team that he didn't have the best legs and the man he was shadowing, Cunego, obviously didn't either. Rodriguez while in the final 3 was cooked from his day of aggressive riding. I haven't heard any after race details analysis/details from the Russians/Kolobnev. The Spanish rode the most important part of the race as it should have been ridden. With Rodriguez up ahead in the final selection with Evans and Kolobnev they couldn't jump on the front to bridge-to block yes-not to bridge. The fact that Evans rode away from Kolobnev and Rodriguez just showed he was the strongest at that decisive moment and in the position to make the most of it.

The Italians rode an aggressive race but appeared to simply not have anyone that was having a great day. The course may have been too difficult with all the climbing for Ballan to truly have been a factor.


Sounds more like a whole lot of Spanish hating going on with a blind eye to the facts.

 

[labratty]

The Aussie contingent must be damn proud and hungover from all those Foster's (presumably) last knight to celebrate their nation's first ever rainbow jersey. Congrats!!!

Slightly off topic but worth noting cos it is a common misconception, Aussies do not generally drink Fosters, they actually drink beer instead. Fosters is a cruel joke inflicted on the Northern Hemisphere, it is also possibly a blend of camel and kangeroo p1ss.

 

[yourwelcome]

This thread was meant as a joke, right?

I'm really happy Evans finally got his due, well deserved and all that, and OK maybe some of the Spanish and Italian guys made a mistake this one particular day, but really...

 

[nslckevin]

Protecting a break containing your weakest and most tired rider against one of the strongest riders in the world is not a good plan. What is the recipie for winning in that situation? Hint, there isn't one. Why would you protect a break where you know you're going to get beat? Why would you work to help a fresher rider (Evans) get further away from your stronger team mates when you know (or should!) that you're going to get beat?

If nothing else, the Spaniard could have sat on and told Evans and Kolobev that he couldn't "tow them" to victory. It would have forced Evans and Kolobev to do all the work and helped Spain's chances. Either that or it would have killed the break, giving Spain a "reshuffle" while also burning one of Cadel's bullets. Either scenario is better than helping Evans open up a a gap on Sanchez and Valverde before he drops you...

Kevin

 

[Angliru]

Protecting a break containing your weakest and most tired rider against one of the strongest riders in the world is not a good plan. What is the recipie for winning in that situation? Hint, there isn't one. Why would you protect a break where you know you're going to get beat? Why would you work to help a fresher rider (Evans) get further away from your stronger team mates when you know (or should!) that you're going to get beat?

If nothing else, the Spaniard could have sat on and told Evans and Kolobev that he couldn't "tow them" to victory. It would have forced Evans and Kolobev to do all the work and helped Spain's chances. Either that or it would have killed the break, giving Spain a "reshuffle" while also burning one of Cadel's bullets. Either scenario is better than helping Evans open up a a gap on Sanchez and Valverde before he drops you...

Kevin

So this so-called "weakest, most tired rider" was apparently the strongest Spaniard that day based on his aggressive riding and podium finish. Mounting an ill-fated chase of Evans would only have pulled the Italians, Cancellara and whoever else was left in that last 10.

How did they know they were going to get beat? Rodriguez was there. Apparently the only rider with legs comparable to Rodriguez at that time was Sanchez and his position was such that even had he been able to bridge to the Evans/Kolobnev/Rodriguez trio the effort would have left him with nothing left to battle Evans and Kolobnev for the win, not to mention THE ITALIANS AND CANCELLARA THAT HE WOULD HAVE DRAGGED WITH HIM. (Not yelling just capitalized to reiterate a point that has been made throughout this thread).

Did you completely ignore the part where Valverde was cooked?

A podium spot is better than none at all. The Italians are the losers here. They have nothing to show for their efforts. Such is one day races, it doesn't always work out as is predicted.